270 



147. Eucalyptus melanophloia. 



(F.v.M., in Journ. Linn. Soc., iii, 93.) 

 Silver-leaved Ironbark. 



Systematic. A small tree with a blackish, persistent, sometimes deeply- 

 furrowed bark; with foliage, inflorescence, and fruits all glaucous. Leaves 

 glaucous or olive green, sessile opposite, or petiolate alternate, from cordate-ovate or 

 orbicular to narrow lanceolate, acuminate. Peduncles i| to 2 inches long, 

 flowers in axillary cymes or terminal corymbs. Calyx tube slightly angular and 

 of equal diameter ; operculum obtusely conical, shorter than the calyx tube. 



Fruit. On a slender pedicel, pear-shaped, or glob- 

 ular, contracted at the orifice ; rim thin ; 

 valves not exserted or only slightly so ; 

 up to 3 lines in diameter. 



These fruits resemble E. intertexta or a small form of 

 E. caerulea. 



Habitat. Angledool, Narran River, Narrabri, Cassilis and 

 Nyngan, New South Wales ; Queensland. 



REMARKS. As this species was originally described from trees from the northern part of the State, where 

 it is easily distinguished by its sessile, opposite, nearly white leaves, the leaf variation of the southern form was not 

 noted. The foliage of this tree is, therefore, not so constant in shape as was originally supposed, for in the far interior 

 of the State, where the trees become stunted, the leaves are small lanceolate, and of a pale brownish or olive-green 

 colour. See paper by R. T. Baker, Proc. Linn. Soc., 1902, p. 225. 



ESSENTIAL OIL. Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were 

 obtained from Narrabri, N.S.W., in June, 1901. The yield of oil was o-n per cent. 

 The crude oil was reddish in colour, and had an odour strongly indicating cymene. 

 The presence of volatile aldehydes was not marked, but much phellandrene was 

 present, and pinene was also pronounced. Cineol was detected, but in very small 

 amount, not more than 5 to 10 per cent, in the crude oil. The higher boiling 

 portion contained a quantity of the sesquiterpene, and also the liquid form of 

 eudesmol. This is indicated by the dextro-rotation of the fourth fraction. A 

 secondary odour of cinnamon was detected in the portion boiling at about 240 C. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-8959 ; rotation D 23-5 ; 

 refractive index at 20 = 1-4893, and was insoluble in 10 volumes 80 per cent, 

 alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was n. 



On rectification, 2 per cent, distilled below 162 C. (corr.). Between 

 162-172, 25 per cent, distilled ; between 172-178, 33 per cent, distilled ; between 

 178-245, 6 per cent, came over, and between 245-268, 30 per cent, distilled, 

 These fractions gave the following results : 



First fraction, sp. gr. at 15 C. = 0-8583 ; rotation - - 37'5. 



Second ,, ,, = 0-8610; ,, -407- 



Third ,, =0-8954; not taken. 



Fourth ,, ,, = 0-9352; a n + 8-0. 



That the oil contained alcoholic bodies is shown by the results obtained on 

 acetylating the crude oil, which then gave a saponification number 27-8, an 

 increase in ester value of 10-8. Assuming the alcohol to be eudesmol, the 

 percentage in this constituent exceeded 6 per cent, in the crude oil. 



There seems little doubt but that cymene was present, as on boiling a 

 portion of the second fraction in dilute nitric acid for several hours, two acids were 



